Kanye West causes VMA controversy

Rapper interrupts Taylor Swift's acceptance speech

NEW YORK -- The MTV Video Music Awards suffered a bout of controversy Sunday night as Kanye West was booed after getting onstage and interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech.

Swift had just received the award for best female video, beating out favorites Beyonce and Lady Gaga.

As Swift thanked the crowd and her fans, West took to the stage and implied that Beyonce should have won, saying she had one of the best videos.

The crowd started booing, and some in the audience were visibly upset about the stunt.

"He's finished," one woman in the crowd screamed as she complained about West.

Security was spotted in the crowd moments later, but it was unclear what happened to West.

An MTV spokesman at the event said he didn't know whether there were repercussions for West. But it was clear it was an unscripted outburst (see video of the incident).

West later apologized for the incident on his blog, writing: "I'M SOOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM. I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD'VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED!"

For her part, Swift called the evening "interesting."

Host Russell Brand, the U.K. comedian who made some controversial jokes last year himself, tried to smooth over the situation. He reminded the audience to "love each other" in Michael Jackson's honor as he had suggested at the beginning of the show.

After a performance by Beyonce, P. Diddy, in introducing the best male video award, tried to smooth over the situation as well, saying the awards are all staying in the musical family anyway. But when West's name came up as one of the nominees, the crowd again erupted into loud boos.

While not directly attacking Swift, West interrupted her onstage to say: "Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time."

West also crashed the stage at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards in Denmark after his "Touch the Sky" lost to Justice Vs. Simian's "We Are Your Friends."

And at the VMAs in Las Vegas, after losing in all five of the categories he was nominated in, West went into a rant backstage.

"I lost to the f**king Black Eyed Peas last year, man. I'm never fucking coming back to MTV," he screamed.

West is not the first musician to interrupt acceptance speeches at award shows. In 2004, 50 Cent, who was the favorite to win the best new artist award, lost to Evanescence and then went up onstage while the band was accepting.

At the end of Sunday's awards night at midtown Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall, MTV managed to present a happy ending.

Beyonce won the award for best video of the year and upon grabbing the microphone immediately called out Swift so she could finish her thank-you speech. The audience cheered when Swift indeed walked out from backstage.

After her speech, the two women hugged and were greeted by more loud cheers and applause.